Derek Chisora reveals he turned down £2m payday to take on Moses Itauma

Derek Chisora has revealed he turned down a bumper £2m payday to take on Moses Itauma prior to Dillian Whyte agreeing to face the hard-hitting Queensberry heavyweight.

The 49-fight veteran is set to hang up his gloves following his landmark 50th showdown later this year although, as of yet, no opponent has yet been announced.

Chisora had previously hoped to fight one of Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois or Anthony Joshua, but it appears his calls for a clash with one of the trio have fallen on deaf ears.

Joseph Parker - the WBO 'interim' world champion - has recently been mooted as another potential opponent, but a trilogy affair with the New Zealander has also seemingly fallen by the wayside with Dave Allen now in pole position to secure a shot at the 33-year-old.

One opponent who was put forward to Chisora earlier this year was Itauma, although the Londoner admits he didn't need too much time to spurn the youngster's advances.

"They offered me to fight Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia, I said ‘how much?’ they said two million, I said, ‘Nah, I’m out," he told talkSPORT.

He's a dangerous man and I wanted more money than that to step in the ring with him.

- Derek Chisora (talkSPORT)

Itauma, who has won 10 of his 12 professional fights inside the distance - is now primed to take on fellow Briton Whyte on August 16 in a fight which Chisora feels is fraught with danger for the over-matched 37-year-old.

"I tell you right now, somebody needs to call the police and get someone arrested for attempted murder, whoever made that fight happen!

"That is not the right fight for Dillian right now and we need to decide who is going to prison when Dillian gets battered badly.

He added: "Either George or Frank Warren, one of them, has to go to jail."

Chisora secured himself mandatory position with the IBF when he beat Otto Wallin in hugely emphatic fashion earlier this year.

However, given Parker holds possession of the 'interim' title, 'DelBoy's' position in the pecking order means he will likely have to undertake a long wait for his crack at the full title.

But with the fighter previously announcing his imminent retirement, it's highly unlikely the 41-year-old will be active by the time his opportunity comes around next summer.

Still, he's hoping that that the heavyweight world titles will become fragmented following the hugely-anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Dubois at Wembley Stadium next month.

"I am the IBF mandatory; I secured my position. I had to go to New York to get my position and the IBF president said, 'Derek, your position is secure, do not worry about it'," he added.

"I'd be happy if (Oleksandr) Usyk or Daniel (Dubois) drop the WBO and IBF and then me and Joseph (Parker) tear up each other for it.

"That's the plan, but you never know what happens with the promoters. They might be upset because I come up with this plan, and then they want to derail, but that is the plan."

Mark Mothershaw

• Queensberry
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